At just 21 years old, Millie Bobby Brown’s coming-of-age has played out under more scrutiny than most people could ever imagine. The actress-turned-entrepreneur, known globally for her breakout role as Eleven in Stranger Things, has spent her adolescence and early adulthood in the spotlight. Now, as she enters her twenties, Brown is increasingly vocal about pushing back against the harsh criticism she receives—particularly when it comes to her appearance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by British Vogue (@britishvogue)Speaking Up About Appearance and Double StandardsIn a recent interview, Brown directly addressed the ongoing commentary surrounding her looks. “If me being blonde or wearing more make-up really bothers you, I’m going to address it – not just for myself, but for every other girl who wants to try a new hairstyle or wear a red lip,” she said. “It’s, like, get off my fucking case, you know? I am 21. I am going to have fun and play and be myself.”That quote encapsulates Brown’s frustration with how the public and media often treat young women in Hollywood—as if they are required to remain frozen in time. When she experiments with her look, critics are quick to pounce. “Oh my God, what has she done with her face? Why has she gone blonde? She looks 60 years old,” she recalled reading in one headline. After she posted a video calling out such coverage, she noted that the same outlets quickly changed their tone. “They were like, ‘Millie stuns in this dress.’ How do you change your mind that quickly?” she asked.The Stranger Things star isn’t afraid to speak up about the hypocrisy of it all. She respects the work of journalists but takes issue with sensational headlines that tear young women down. “I respect journalism. I love reading articles on my favourite people and hearing what they’re up to. I understand that there’s paparazzi, even though it’s invasive, even though it feels like shit to me – I know that’s your job,” she said. “But don’t, in your headline, slam me at the get-go. It is so wrong and it is bullying, especially to young girls who are new to this industry and are already questioning everything about it.”Her words reflect both frustration and maturity. Brown isn’t condemning the media outright; she’s calling for a more responsible form of coverage—one that doesn’t equate a change in hair color or makeup with moral failure. She’s also trying to send a message to other young women watching: that it’s okay to evolve, experiment, and grow without apology.Growing Up in PublicCredit: NetflixMillie Bobby Brown’s experience is unique. She began filming Stranger Things at just 10 years old, meaning that her formative years—from childhood to adulthood—have unfolded entirely in public. Fans have watched her change in real time, while critics have too often treated her evolution as something scandalous.She has spoken before about the difficulties of being treated as a perpetual child, despite her age and accomplishments. “For some reason people can’t seem to grow up with me. Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time… And because I don’t, I’m now a target.” This sentiment highlights a broader issue for young stars: the public’s resistance to allowing them to mature beyond the roles that first made them famous.Brown has worked to reclaim her narrative by taking on new roles, running her own production company, and building her beauty and lifestyle brand, Florence by Mills. In recent years, she also married Jake Bongiovi and became a parent. Each new chapter, however, seems to invite renewed scrutiny. Rather than shrinking under that pressure, Brown has decided to confront it directly—and in doing so, she’s setting a precedent for other young celebrities navigating similar challenges.Protecting the Next GenerationBrown’s perspective has deepened since becoming a parent. Speaking about the daughter she and her husband adopted, she shared, “If she chooses to share her personality one day with the world, like I did when I was young, that’s something we’d support. But right now, as she’s so little… As her parents, it’s our job to protect her from that.”For Brown, this isn’t just about shielding her own child from paparazzi—it’s about ensuring that the next generation doesn’t endure the same invasive scrutiny she did. Her experience has made her an advocate for young people growing up in entertainment, and for anyone learning to navigate the online spotlight.The Recent David Harbour DramaCredit: NetflixBrown’s commitment to standing up for herself also seems to extend behind the scenes. Reports recently surfaced that she and her Stranger Things co-star David Harbour clashed during production of the show’s final season. According to sources, Brown—who plays Eleven—filed a formal harassment and bullying claim against Harbour, who plays her on-screen father, Jim Hopper.The complaint reportedly did not involve any allegations of sexual misconduct, but it was said to include multiple pages of accusations that were investigated over several months. Brown allegedly had a personal representative present on the Stranger Things set during filming of the fifth and final season, which wrapped in late 2024. Representatives for Netflix, Brown, and Harbour have not commented publicly on the claims.The reported tension stands in sharp contrast to how the pair’s relationship has often been described publicly. Back in 2018, a then-14-year-old Brown told an audience at PaleyFest that she and Harbour had a father-daughter dynamic both on and off screen. “We went through so many different emotions… we get angry at each other, we are like father and daughter,” she said at the time. “We got angry at each other and we would express our feelings on and off the set, and those scenes were so raw and real that the reward is the scenes.”Harbour himself has spoken fondly of Brown, saying in 2021 that he had a “deep fatherly affection” for her and often worried about the pressures of fame she faced. “I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with. And I’ve just always felt this kind of deep fatherly affection for her,” he said.Whether the reported conflict is ultimately resolved or not, it adds another layer to Brown’s story—a young woman learning to assert herself not only against media criticism but within powerful industry structures. The same determination that drives her to call out unfair treatment in the press seems to inform how she handles difficult situations at work.Why Millie’s Voice MattersCredit: NetflixMillie Bobby Brown’s stance represents more than just self-defense—it’s about reclaiming agency in an environment that often strips it away. She has lived through a cycle of intense public attention, learned from it, and is now actively reshaping how she engages with fame. By confronting criticism head-on, she’s showing young women everywhere that they have the right to define themselves on their own terms.As Stranger Things prepares to conclude its story with its fifth season, Brown is entering a new era—one where she’s not just reacting to how others see her but steering her own narrative. She’s a performer, business owner, wife, and mother who refuses to be limited by anyone’s expectations.And as she made clear, she’s done apologizing for being herself: “Get off my fucking case. I am 21. I am going to have fun and play and be myself.”The post Millie Bobby Brown Spews Foul Verbal Attack on Critics Amid David Harbour Harassment Investigation appeared first on Inside the Magic.